Beach residents fear rubbish will attract rodents

FOR more than six months, rubbish has been allowed to pile-up at one of Ireland’s best-loved beaches, leaving locals worried that it will draw rats.

Pearse Sreenan, a member of the Barleycove Villa Owners’ Association, said the concerns of the residents have been conveyed to Cork County Council.

Apart from the fact that it is unsightly, Mr Sreenan said residents are worried that the rubbish will draw rodents.

‘If this does give rise to a rodent problem, we could have a similar problem to Ballyrisode, where the beach was the subject of an advisory notice by Cork County Council,’ he said, referring to the beach at nearby Toormore which was infested with rats last summer.

Mr Sreenan said the problem started last March when a blue drum – which was possibly debris washed in from the sea – was left under a tourist information sign. Since March, Mr Sreenan said more and more rubbish has been added, such as bags full of tin foil and paper cups, the kind of waste that picnickers would leave.

Residents believe the fact that the rubbish has been allowed to accumulate under the Barleycove Blue Flag sign on the Wild Atlantic Way adds insult to injury. Locals, said Mr Sreenan, are blaming daytrippers for leaving the rubbish behind. And, as someone who lives within 40 yards of the unsightly mess, he said: ‘I would happily get rid of it if there was a place to deposit the rubbish, because what’s there will not fit into my domestic waste bin.’

A spokesperson for Cork County Council said the matter has been reported to its waste enforcement unit which will follow up with the Municipal District to have the issue resolved.